


I Want To (Love You)

by redacted_eternity



Category: Assassination Classroom
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, I don't have enough brain cells for this, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Valentine's Day, honestly I don't know anymore, how does one tag?, it's kinda just 5k words of them and their feelings, no beta but a crap ton of editing, or at least attempted fluff, there's a lot of blushing so there's that, there's angst but for like five seconds, there's tears but of the happy kind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:42:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24586303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redacted_eternity/pseuds/redacted_eternity
Summary: A one-shot shortly following/based off the Valentine’s Day chapter. Even if there was less than a one percent chance of their teacher blowing up the Earth, Maehara figured it was time to stop running from his feelings and admit them. After all, what could hurt? Well. . .besides all of his injuries.Or: Isogai tends to Maehara’s bruises. Maehara gives Isogai a box of chocolate. A thank you gift or something else?
Relationships: Isogai Yuuma/Maehara Hiroto
Comments: 8
Kudos: 77





	I Want To (Love You)

Accompanying the rest of his classmates, Isogai watched Maehara hopelessly beg Okano to give him chocolate. Currently, it was lunch period, though apparently most of the class if not everyone agreed that Maehara’s fruitless attempts to mend things were more worth their time than eating. It had begun from the start of class, Maehara trying all sorts of methods to receive chocolate from Okano, but the gymnast still hadn’t swayed. He didn’t give up though, being as persistent as he is.

Eventually, Maehara succeeded in his quest to receive chocolate from Okano, albeit through painful means. After making her even more furious with him, Okano had kicked Maehara in the face like she usually does. Little did she know Maehara had switched out the anti-sensei blades in her shoes with chocolate, therefore his attempts at receiving chocolate from her were deemed successful. After some talking, he seemed to have angered her once again and got kneed in the face that time. With a final kick, Maehara got sent tumbling face first to the ground as Okano left the room with a frustrated huff, having no regard for the playboy. 

From outside the E-Class building, Isogai squeezed through his classmates as they began to disperse. He walked into the building and headed to the classroom to check on Maehara. Isogai slid open the door and walked in, heading toward Hiroto, who laid face-down on the floor. 

“Maehara, are you okay?” Isogai asked, lowering his stance.

“For the most part, yeah,” Maehara groaned, rolling over onto his back as he heaved a sigh. His hands shot up to his head, which throbbed with a dull pain from Okano’s attacks. It’ll be fine, right?

Isogai quickly examined Maehara’s face. Hiroto seemed pretty beat up from getting kicked in the face and colliding with the floor. Maehara’s cheek was starting to bruise a bit, painting his face in a muted mulberry shade. His skin was dirtied in multiple places, littering his face with an unsaturated mahogany hue. There was a noticeable red spot where Okano had roundhouse kicked him. And was that a thin line of blood running across his cheek? 

“Come on, let’s bandage you up.” Isogai offered, helping Maehara to the infirmary. Just like the rest of the E-Class building, the infirmary was worn down and old, never really getting a repair, nor the funds to. Maehara sat down on the shabby examination table, which squeaked under his weight. He began rubbing his temples as Isogai rummaged through the cabinets. “Sadly, the E-Class building doesn’t supply ice packs nor a way to make them cold enough even if we did so we’re gonna just have to use the compression tactic in the meantime.”

Maehara nodded mutely, a hand now pressed against his bruising cheek. Isogai placed some bandages on the table near Maehara before leaving the room with a simple “I’ll be back.” Maehara continued to rub the bruised area of his face, wincing at the stinging pain that radiated from it. He aimlessly kicked his feet in the air and let out a sigh. Isogai came back shortly with a damp towel. 

“Hand off your face,” the class representative ordered, bringing the towel up to Maehara’s cheek. 

Maehara complied and Isogai gently wiped his face with the washcloth, cleaning off any dirt that may be present. Who knows what was on the classroom floor. Despite his attempts to not blush, Maehara could feel heat rise at the tip of his ears and he guessed his cheeks were flushed too. Isogai looked over Maehara's features again. 

“Looks like it hurt,” he bluntly commented. He noticed Maehara’s obvious blush too, but decided not to ask.

“Well, no shit,” Maehara deadpanned, stifling a laugh. “Did you see her? She’s insane! It’ll probably leave a mark. I’ve gotten used to it though, and I guess I’ve had worse.” He trailed off, remembering the time he got violently kneed in the stomach by a certain ex-teacher of theirs. He placed a hand on his stomach, and there was a light flicker of phantom pain, or something of the like. His skin paled slightly, and the spark in his eyes flickered away.

Isogai seemed to have caught the petrified look in Maehara’s dull eyes, and noticed that any remnants of the previously lighthearted atmosphere was gone. The generally bright and optimistic playboy looked gloomy, dwelling on past incidents despite his usual “live in the moment” attitude. The class representative inwardly sighed and took Maehara’s hand in his, bringing it away from his friend’s stomach. Isogai started drawing small circles on the back of the other boy’s hand with his thumb as a comforting gesture. Maehara used to do it with him all the time, and it always seemed to calm him down. He looked Maehara in the eyes, attempting to distract him from his previous thoughts. Isogai pondered about what to say, if anything at all. He gave Maehara a small smile before adding, “Hey, don’t think about it too much if it bothers you, all right? Where’s the Hiroto I know and love?” 

“Uh, yeah, sure.” But Maehara wasn’t really paying attention to what Isogai had to say, rather the hand that held his, the light touch of the other boy’s fingertips on his palm, and the thumb that was tracing circles on his skin. His blush deepened, and his gaze flickered to anywhere but Isogai. Ignoring his racing heartbeat, he couldn’t help but wonder, did Isogai ever feel this way when Maehara took his hand in his? He almost missed the last part of Isogai’s words, but filed it away as a thought for later. 

The brunet continued cleaning Maehara’s face as he retracted his hand from Hiroto. Maehara immediately missed his friend’s soothing touch on his hand, the feeling still lingering on his skin. Though, that hidden feeling of disappointment vanished when he felt Isogai’s hands on his face as the brunet effortlessly patched him up with a smile. Isogai firmly ran a finger across the bandages, making sure they stuck. “There.”

“Thanks,” Maehara mumbled, his lips flickering a ghost of a smile. “Phew, glad that’s over,” he sighed with relief, his hand tenderly rubbing his bruised cheek. His fingers trailed over the bandages, wincing at the gradually numbing pain. Though he guessed Isogai made it a little tolerable.

It took Isogai a moment to realize Maehara was talking about getting beat to a pulp by Okano. “The whole incident was technically _your_ fault, Hiroto. It only happened ‘cause _you_ were insensitive to her feelings to begin with. Also, stop touching it. You wouldn’t want the bruise to become worse,” Isogai scolded, putting the bandages back in the cabinet. “Still, I can’t believe you’d go so far as to replace her anti-sensei knives in her shoes with chocolate, _and_ get her furious with you so she’d kick you in the face.”

“There was no other way. She would never give chocolates to me in a polite way after what happened. Sometimes you just gotta do you what you gotta do.” Maehara let out another sigh. Suddenly, his eyes lit up and a smile replaced his frown. “Oh, speaking of chocolate, that reminds me.” Without warning, he pushed himself off the examination table and shuffled to the classroom, returning shortly with his school bag in tow. 

Maehara set the bag on the table, reached into it, and pulled out a small heart-shaped box of chocolates. He held it out to Isogai, his smile beaming brighter than before. “Here. This is for you.”

Isogai stared at the box, its exterior was a warm tangerine hue and was wrapped with a brown ribbon, gold lining the edges. He felt his heart skip a beat. He knew it was for him, Maehara just said so, and although he appreciated the gesture, his brow quirked up in evident confusion. “For me? Why?” 

It was odd, considering Valentine’s day in Japan was an occasion for girls to give chocolates to boys, not the other way around, or in their case, from one boy to another. Perhaps Maehara got hit a bit too hard? Isogai wasn’t about to get his hopes up, or at least he tried not to. Truth was, Isogai liked Maehara. Not just in a “best friends” type of way, but in a romantic sense too. But he was always scared to openly admit it in fear of ruining their friendship and leaving his heartstrings in tatters. They had an unshakable bond built from years of trust between them, a mere confession shouldn’t change that. But, there was always this nagging sense of rejection, betrayal, and doubt that plagued his mind whenever he thought of the possibility of them becoming something more. Isogai quickly snapped out of his thoughts, his attention returning to his current scenario. 

Maehara’s smile shifted into a lopsided line and he lightly scratched his cheek. “This may or may not be our last Valentine’s Day together, and I’d figured that I should be true to my feelings for once. After all, even if the world doesn’t blow up and we graduate, head to high school, move on with life, who knows when we’ll be able to talk face-to-face with each other again. And even if we do, I don’t think any other time will be right for me to say this.” He paused and a faint blush dusted his face and upon closer inspection, the tips of his ears. Maehara fidgeted with the box, fingers nervously tapping against the exterior. His hands were trembling slightly, his breathing shaky. He took a deep breath before continuing, “To put it simply, I really like you. Like, more than a best friend. And, I think I have for quite some time. I just never realized how much you really meant to me. I’d thought I’d just let you know if the world does end come March. Let you know that I want to hold hands with you, cuddle you, kiss you, spend the rest of my life with you. I want to take you on a terribly cliché picnic date, wipe the crumbs off your face with my thumb as I stare into those wonderfully gorgeous eyes of yours. I want to dance with you under the moonlight as our worries wash away. Maybe accidentally step on each other’s toes, only to laugh it off with a lighthearted apology because the only thing that matters is that we’re together. And we touch our foreheads together as I hold you close, never wanting to let go. I want to stargaze with you as time seems to slow down and it feels like we’re in our own little world. A world where it's only the two of us, the stars, and the moon. Where we can forget about our troubles in the silence of the night with our hands intertwined and it’s like the bond we share feels stronger than ever. I want to call you my one and only along with sappy terms of endearment such as ‘Sunshine’ and childhood nicknames like 'Prince Charming' ‘cause I think it suits you and I just love you that much. And did I mention I want to spend the rest of my life with you and-” Maehara abruptly cut himself off, only now realizing that he had subconsciously leaned closer to Yuuma, their faces just a few inches apart.

His blush deepened and he awkwardly stared with his mouth agape in realization. He was so deep in his own thoughts and ramblings that he didn’t notice that he was practically invading Isogai’s personal space. Hiroto quickly stumbled back, regaining his composure and ran his free hand through his hair out of anxious habit. “Ah shit, I’m sorry. I hope this doesn’t ruin our friendship, Yuuma. If you want to stay childhood best friends that’s okay with me too. Consider the chocolates as a thank you for everything you’ve done.”

Throughout his best friend’s entire monologue, Isogai could only stare at Maehara with an unreadable expression ‘cause _that was so specific and oddly detailed_ but he didn’t mind because Maehara actually confessed he loved him. It only seemed like a distant dream to Yuuma. That Maehara Hiroto, his best friend since childhood, would ever be in love with _him_. He would be lying if he said he didn’t reciprocate Hiroto’s feelings, but he always thought his feelings were unrequited. And, he thought it was a bit selfish of him at first, to want his best friend as something more. And he convinced himself that even if Maehara didn’t reciprocate his feelings, that staying childhood friends would be enough for him. That if Maehara was happy spending his life with another person, then he would be happy too. Their friendship was important to him, and he never wanted to ruin that everlasting bond. 

_Iso-_

_Isogai_. . .

“Earth to Yuuma!” Maehara waved a hand in front of Isogai’s face. Yuuma flinched when Hiroto clapped his hands as an extra measure. Seeing as he caught his friend’s attention, Maehara continued. “I’m sorry, did I come off too strong? I know I kinda went on a ramble there.” He nervously scratched his cheek, a small habit that accompanied his lighthearted apologies.

“Oh no, that’s not it.” Isogai shook his head, dismissing the apology with a wave of his hand. “I was just thinking.” His gaze flickered to the side as he tried to gather his words before meeting Maehara’s eyes, which had a curious glint to them. “And I, well, I like you too, really. I actually have for a while. But you know, I always thought of this possibility as only a dream when I realized how I felt. And I was perfectly fine accepting the possibility that all we might be are childhood best friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Even when you came out to me that you were bi, I thought there still wasn’t a chance of us becoming something more. And then today you told me you actually liked me and this just feels surreal.” 

“Hm. Guess we’re both oblivious idiots.”

“Guess so,” Isogai giggled, and Maehara’s heart swelled with adoration. 

Maehara resisted the temptation to kiss Isogai’s cute face and instead gazed at his childhood friend’s features. The brunet’s hair perfectly reflected the soft glow of the afternoon sun, his eyes were as dazzling as ever, and his smile seemed to brighten up the entire room. _“Cute as ever,"_ Maehara thought, making no attempt to hide his dorky, love-struck smile. 

He remembered his gift from earlier, the thought suddenly poking at his thoughts. “Here.” Maehara held out the forgotten box of chocolates. “Open it.”

Isogai momentarily stared at the heart shaped box before taking it in his hands. He neatly pulled apart the bow and lifted the lid, revealing a variety of chocolates and a folded piece of paper. He glanced back at Hiroto, his eyes shifting between the box and his best friend, wondering if he should eat one. Maehara only stared back as a meek smile danced across his face. 

“They’re homemade,” he mumbled with a small shrug. “And I’d like your opinion on them.”

Isogai nodded mutely, scanning the assortment of sweets inside. They were in classic heart and oblong shapes, and glistened slightly through their matte texture. His eyes took in the sweet delicacies, appreciating the fact that Maehara went out of his way to home make chocolate. He suddenly became wary of the chocolates, knowing Hiroto’s cooking skills were rather below average. Still, he took one and popped it in his mouth, letting the chocolate melt on his tongue. His gaze averted to Maehara, who looked at him with anticipation. He covered his mouth as he swallowed.

“It’s really bitter,” Isogai commented.

Hiroto blinked once. Twice. Three times. “Shit! I knew I forgot something!”

Yuuma stared in disbelief before cracking a smile and stifling a chuckle at Maehara’s baking skills. He covered his mouth with his hand, hiding his amused grin. “How do you forget the sugar of all things?” Laughter bubbled out of his lips despite his efforts.

“Don’t laugh!” Maehara exclaimed, almost offended, which only made Isogai laugh more. He let out a dejected sigh and ran his hand through his hair, feeling frustrated that he forgot such a simple and important step. “Man, and I really thought I didn’t mess them up that time too.”

Isogai’s laughter died down, his lips morphing into a smile as he glanced at Maehara with an adoring gaze. Even if Maehara did forget the sugar, Isogai couldn’t deny that he loved the homemade chocolates. After all, it’s the thought that counts. Besides, they were sweet in their own way, and he guessed that was the beauty of it. “I don’t think you messed them up, ‘cause in their own way, they’re sweet, and lovely. Just like you, Hiro.” 

Isogai flashed Maehara his signature princely smile, and the latter swore the room _did not_ just light up. And his heart _did not just get shot in love_ **_again_**. 

“I- Don’t mention it.” A blush crept onto Maehara’s face, tinting his cheeks with a rosy hue. A corner of his mouth curved upwards as he looked away, lightly scratching his cheek. 

Isogai giggled at his reaction. Having known Hiroto for a long time, Yuuma knew that despite the playboy reputation and flirtatious nature, Maehara managed to blush quite easily whenever he was at the receiving end of genuine compliments and affection. 

“You’re cute too,” Isogai added. He placed his thumb and forefinger on Maehara’s chin, swiftly turning Maehara’s head back toward him before lightly tapping him on the nose.

Hiroto visibly tensed as his cheeks were painted a deeper shade of blush. He shot Yuuma an awkward glare, scrunching up his nose as a shy smile danced across his face. “I could say the same for you.” He playfully ruffled Isogai’s hair in retaliation. Catching a glimpse of white in the corner of his eye, Maehara remembered about the letter he wrote. “There’s a note too.” He pointed at the folded piece of paper. “It was a last-minute decision, but I’d like it if you’d read it.”

Isogai nodded and placed the box carefully on the table before taking the note in his hands. He unfolded the paper and slowly glanced over it, trying to decipher Maehara’s rushed handwriting. There was a light blush on his cheeks, though he couldn’t tell whether the cause of it was the note or the fact that he could sense Maehara looking at him attentively. Perhaps both.

 _Hey Yuu. I can’t believe we’ve been the best of friends since. . . forever. It feels like only yesterday when we first met. And I’m happy we did. I’m happy you’re in my life. I’m happy I get to spend time with you. I’m happy we’re friends._ You _make me happy, like my sunshine on a cloudy day. You complete me. And if I’m being honest? I love you. Really. Roses are red, violets are blue, full homo, I love you. I don’t know how, I don’t know why, but there’s no denying that whenever I look at you, my heart flutters and I can’t help but smile. And they say love is a strong word but I don’t think it’s strong enough to describe my feelings for you. Although, if you want to stay childhood best friends, that’s perfectly fine too. I’d just figured I’d tell you before the world possibly ends. Our friendship means a lot to me, and I know it’s the same for you too. Love ya (prince charming) Yuuma. Sincerely, (your knight in shining armor) Hiro._

Isogai finished reading the letter and couldn’t help but chuckle fondly at the childhood nickname. His smile had grown wider and there were tears of happiness pricking his eyes. Maehara could be so damn sweet sometimes. He didn’t realize he was crying until he felt a warm teardrop fall on his hand. He was about to wipe away his tears but Maehara beat him to it, gently caressing Isogai’s cheek as he used his thumb to wipe away his tears. If Isogai wasn’t blushing before, he sure was now.

They made eye contact as Isogai’s gaze flickered upwards from the note, and Maehara couldn’t help but stare. Isogai looked the same as always, but this time, he seemed a little bit more special to Maehara somehow. Perhaps it was the fact that they were finally open about their feelings for each other, and the sense that their bond became stronger. Maybe it was the lighting, or the butterflies in his stomach, or the almost audible _thump thump_ sound echoing from his heartbeat. He stopped tracing small circles on Yuuma’s cheek and he brushed a part of the brunet’s fringe away from his face, delicately tucking a loose strand of hair behind Yuuma’s ear. Maehara’s gaze wandered from Isogai’s eyes to his lips and he had the sudden urge to kiss him. He resisted the impulse, lightly biting the inside of his bottom lip. After all, he just confessed a few minutes ago. And even if they knew each other as long as they could remember, maybe a kiss would be too quick?

Wow, who would’ve thought he’d be hesitant? He had the reputation of a playboy, and a very flirty and suave one at that. But now, here he was, in front of his best friend of all people, being shy and unsure, with a very visible blush on his face. Though, he didn’t really mind. After all, the one he liked was Isogai, who fortunately liked him back, and he couldn’t be happier. However, lunch was about to end soon and this was the perfect chance. What better day to kiss someone other than Valentine’s Day? When you can sense the overwhelming love in the air and there was this romantic atmosphere around the world. And, despite the setting of the Class 3-E infirmary, and the butterflies in his stomach, Hiroto couldn’t deny that he really wanted to kiss Yuuma, even for just a second. He figured he should at least ask.

“Maybe I’m going a bit fast but, uh. . . can I, perhaps, kiss you?” Maehara questioned with a timid, lopsided smile. 

The question caught Isogai off guard. He never really thought he’d get this far. It was only just a dream pushed back in his mind that he never believed would ever happen. He felt his heart jump at the thought as he gave Maehara a shy nod. 

Time seemed to slow down as Maehara gently cupped Isogai’s face with his hands. He tilted his head and leaned in, softly pecking Isogai on the lips as he closed the distance. The kiss only lasted a couple of moments before Maehara pulled away, much to Isogai’s disappointment. Although, despite the kiss lasting for only a few seconds, Isogai liked it. And to the both of them it seemed time froze, like they were the only ones around. It was as if they were in their own world, where they could forget their assassination mission, forget that the fate of the world rests on their shoulders, forget all of their other worries and they could ease into an ambiance of ignorant serenity. 

The kiss wasn’t passionate, more like a chaste peck, but it was sweet anyway. It was short and simple, but it was just enough to make Isogai’s heart skip a beat. It was enough to make him feel happy. Happy that they met. Happy that he fell for Maehara, and that Maehara fell for him. 

However, Isogai would be lying if he said he didn’t want to kiss Maehara again. He wanted more of it, especially after the first one feeling a bit anticlimactic. And, he couldn’t deny he missed the warm feeling of Maehara’s lips on his, and the mild mango flavor of Maehara’s chapstick. He touched his own lips with his middle and index finger, feeling a tingling sensation. It then occurred to him that that was his first kiss, and it was from his childhood best friend, the person he loved and treasured with all his heart. The realization made him feel all sorts of butterflies, and his heart fluttered a little. Maybe they could go in for another before lunch ended.

“Can, can we-”

“Do it again?” Maehara finished for him, to which Isogai nodded.

Smiling at the consent, Hiroto pulled Yuuma in for a second kiss, this one lasting a bit longer than the first. Isogai melted into it, wrapping his arms around Maehara’s neck. He could feel his heart pound against his rib cage, and the butterflies in his stomach exploded into fireworks. Time seemed to halt again as they tuned everything else out and only focused on each other. They were happy, and in their own world again. Even if all of this is over by March, at least they admitted their feelings. And even if the world doesn’t end, and they take different paths in life, and happen to find someone else, they would still be childhood best friends, metaphorically attached at the hip like always. But for now, they were happy with each other, knowing they had an everlasting bond, and nothing would ever change that. 

They pulled away only for Maehara to touch their foreheads together, his fingers running through Isogai’s hair. In return, Isogai gently caressed the sides of Maehara’s neck, tracing small circles on his skin with his thumb. They could feel each other’s breath slightly tickle their skin as they bathed in the warm glow of the afternoon sun, relaxing in each other’s embrace as affectionate smiles graced their lips. Isogai’s hands found their way to Maehara’s back, and he nuzzled his face in the crook of the other boy’s neck. The gesture was something Yuuma did frequently before, whenever he felt stressed, tired, or just sad and in need of a hug. And Hiroto always let him, no questions asked. But unlike all the other times, this time was out of happiness, and a little bit of love.

Maehara kept absentmindedly playing with Isogai’s hair, his thoughts wandering to the kiss. It ignited a spark within him, something he never really experienced before with anyone. And one would think the playboy would have kissed quite a lot of people already, but only a handful of his relationships lasted that long. But despite those few times, he couldn’t deny that kissing his best friend felt different somehow. A bit more special, in a way. He couldn’t quite describe it, but maybe it was the way Isogai’s lips were softly pressed against his, or his erratic heartbeat wanting to burst out of his rib cage, or the fact that he had kissed Isogai Yuuma, his best friend since childhood and the one he fell head over heels for that made him feel all warm and fuzzy.

“You know, you’d think with my entire dating history, I would’ve kissed quite a lot of people already. But only a handful of them lasted long enough to get to one. And even then, none of them felt as lovely as the one I had with you,” Maehara admitted, his facial features softening as he did so. He thought about the kiss again, feeling the corners of his lips curve upwards as he cracked a soft grin. He had really fallen in love this time, hadn’t he?

Isogai hummed in acknowledgment, and he was glad Maehara couldn’t see his flushed face. He traced small circles on Maehara’s back with his thumbs as he felt Maehara’s fingers weave through his hair. They didn’t attempt a conversation. They didn’t need to. They knew each other since they were little kids, and after finally confessing their feelings, they felt they had nothing to tell, nor anything to hide. Between them was a comfortable silence, where they allowed their worries to temporarily fade into nothingness, and they relaxed under each other’s touch. Isogai closed his eyes, feeling his fingers linger on his best friend’s cardigan and he inhaled deeply, noting the musky scent that was Maehara’s cologne. He felt a hand gently press against his back, holding him close. It was comforting, and warm, and the feeling brought him back to the last time they hugged like this. 

It was about two years ago. Isogai was under a load of stress, shouldering a pile of responsibilities that came with taking care of his family, finances, schoolwork, and himself. At this time, he hadn’t fully adapted to juggling multiple responsibilities, and the weight crashed onto him. He tried to hide his struggles with a smile, though his antennae were wilted, telling everyone otherwise. When others asked him about it, he shrugged it off and told them not to worry. Maehara didn’t buy his facade or cheap words in the least bit and visited Isogai’s house later that day. He asked what was wrong, giving Isogai a skeptical look, almost daring him to lie. He also gave Yuuma a short but heartwarming speech essentially saying that if he didn’t want to tell, then he didn’t have to. Isogai, though anxious and felt he was about to choke on his words, trusted Hiroto and allowed himself to vent and break down. Maehara wrapped an arm around Isogai’s shaky form before easing him into a much-needed, warm and consoling hug. Isogai returned the hug and buried his head in the crook of Maehara’s neck. Overwhelmed with all the stress, he cried, and Maehara let him. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he stopped, but he never forgot that sympathetic, charming smile and the words Maehara gave him afterward. _“I’ll always be here for you.”_ They pinky promised, and Maehara never broke it.

The hug back then was platonic and out of compassion, no underlying romantic feelings whatsoever. Isogai felt safe in Maehara’s arms, and dare he say loved, and cared for, in a more special way than anyone else. Maybe even a bit more special than his family. He couldn’t quite place his finger on it at the time, but looking back on it, maybe that’s when feelings arose. When he realized there was someone who would always be there with him through thick and thin. Someone other than his family who would listen. Someone other than his family who he treasured dearly. Hiroto was his safe place when he could turn to no one else, his knight in shining armor, in a way. And he had this thought to say a completely platonic “I love you” to Maehara, but he decided against it, in fear of making the situation awkward. He always wondered though, if he did say it, would Maehara have thought anything of it? Perhaps he should say it now, being a lot more confident in his feelings.

He buried his head deeper in the crook of Maehara’s neck as he mustered up the courage to say the words we wanted to get out all this time. “I love you, Hiro,” Yuuma murmured fondly, hugging Maehara tighter, seeking comfort in his warm embrace. His heart wanted to fly out of his chest, and his face burst into more vibrant shades of blush.

As those four words left Isogai’s lips, Maehara blushed a deeper shade of pink, feeling his heart skip yet another beat. He smiled into the brunet’s hair, planting a soft kiss on the top of the other boy’s head. “I love you too, Yuuma.”

The air around them was silent save for their heartbeats, which echoed in unison within their chests. Hiroto continued to run his hand through Yuuma’s hair, taking in the floral fragrance of the brunet’s shampoo that was blended with the faint aroma of coffee. Maehara quietly hummed the tune of an old, nostalgic childhood song as he swayed slightly, shifting his balance from one leg to another, Isogai rocking with him. The constant slow and steady swaying and Maehara’s low, soothing hums were almost enough to lull the brunet to sleep. Yuuma had considered it, and it wouldn’t be the first time he had fallen asleep in Hiroto’s arms, feeling his eyelids grow heavy as he listened to his friend’s calming heartbeat. However, lunch was nearing an end and they would have to get going soon if they wanted to make it to class before the bell rang. But for now, maybe they could stay in each other’s embrace, feel their hearts beat in sync as their bond grew stronger, and make this moment last for just a little while longer.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey. (^^)/ Hope you enjoyed this belated Valentine's Day fic I didn't even start until March.  
> I'm actually quite happy with how this turned out overall. I'm not entirely happy with some parts, but I don't have the brain cells to fix them.  
> Anyway, thank you for reading. I bid you a good day/night. Stay safe.  
> You can find me on Tumblr: [@maeiso-trash](https://maeiso-trash.tumblr.com/).  
> 


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